TCCASA to host drug take back event

The Tioga County Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Inc. (TCCASA) recently announced their participation in the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 30, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

TCCASA, along with the Tioga County Sherriff’s Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is giving the public another opportunity to prevent prescription drug abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your medications for “stop and drop” disposal to TCCASA parking lot at 6 McMaster St. Owego (across from Owego Agway). The service is free and anonymous.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that sit in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines – flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash – both pose potential safety and health hazards.

Last October, Americans turned in 324 tons (over 647,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at over 4,114 sites operated by the DEA and its thousands of state and local law enforcement partners. When those results are combined with what was collected in its seven previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 3.4 million pounds – more than 1,700 tons of pills.

The supervised collection will accept controlled substances, pills, powders, inhalers, epi-pens, nonprescription drugs, pet medications, and over the counter medications. They cannot accept liquids or needles.

For further information, contact TCCASA directly at (607) 687-6349 or by email to info@tccasa.org.